Huskers Fall Just Short at Home to Minnesota

Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska women's tennis team (8-8, 0-3 Big Ten) came up just short of a come-from-beind victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers (13-3, 3-0 Big Ten) Sunday afternoon, falling by a final score of 4-2.

The Huskers started the day on a strong note with Maggy Lehmicke and Mary Hanna notching an 8-4 win over Minnesota's Tereza Brichacova and Jessika Mozia at No. 1 doubles, but lost at No. 2 and 3 doubles to give Minnesota the doubles point. After starting the match down 6-1 at the No. 2 spot, Izabella Zgierska and Maike Zeppernick battled back to bring it within two at 7-5, but ended up dropping the match 8-5 to Natallia Pintusava and Julia Courter. The decisive No. 3 doubles match between Nebraska's Lisa Anderson and Hannah Sulz and Minnesota's Aria Lambert and Paula Rincon Otero was a close one throughout, but the Husker pair lost a heartbreaker in the 8-7 (8-6) decision.

In singles play, NU's deficit grew to 2-0 after Izabella Zgierska dropped the No. 2 match to the Gopher's Natallia Pintusava 6-2, 6-3, but Maggy Lehmicke came through with a clutch victory over Tereza Brichacova at No. 1 singles to make it 2-1. The win did not come easy for Lehmicke, as she had to take both sets in tiebreakers 7-6 (7-0), 7-6 (7-3). At the No. 4 spot, Lisa Andersson lost a tough battle to Julia Courter 6-2, 6-3, before Hannah Sulz gave the Huskers their second victory in singles. Sulz took care of Paula Rincon Otero at No. 6 singles, winning the match by a score of 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2. With Nebraska trailing 3-2, Minnesota picked up the deciding point, as Mary Hanna lost a thriller at No. 3 singles to Jessika Mozia 7-6 (9-7), 7-5. The No. 5 singles match between Maike Zeppernick and Aria Lambert went unfinished but ended with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 0-2.

Next on the schedule for Nebraska is a pair of home matches against Michigan State and Michigan next weekend. The Huskers will take on the Spartans at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 28. The matchup with the Wolverines will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 30.